CHAPTER 7
This was it. They were boarding the plane, the kids were excited even though they didn't really know what was about to happen. Rachel didn't want to say anything incase Finn didn't want anything to do with them. She hoped that he wouldn't react in that way, but she was aware of the possibilities and she didn't want to pressure him. Rachel took one last look at her mobile before turning it off and slipping it into her handbag. She saw a text message from her Dad, it read 'Say strong'. It had been emotional saying their goodbyes to the extended family. Rachel hadn't realised how much she had grown to depend on her mother and she knew that everyone had heard her call Shelby 'mom'. She didn't know where it came from, it just came out- it seemed, well it just seemed natural.
Kurt was excited to be finally going home; he had even spoken to Blaine who was going to fly over next week. Kurt hoped to track down Mercedes, he thought about asking Quinn- she was always very close with Mercedes' mom after her pregnancy. Anyway, he had plenty of time to figure things out, now he just needed to concentrate on getting home to his Dad. Kurt missed his father more than he cared to admit, even with, you know being gay and not talking about football and stuff. He just missed him, he couldn't explain it. He talked to him on the phone regularly and he had seen him a couple of months ago in London but he just missed the way he always left the newspaper in the umbrella rack and how he would always take Kurt's moisturisers and leave them on Carole's dressing table. I guess, he just missed being there.
'You okay?' Kurt asked Rachel. They had been on the plane for about an hour and a half, and the pilot had just announced they would be landing soon. 'I'm good' Rachel said definitely. 'This is a good thing' she assured herself. Christopher was getting restless and began tugging on his mother's sleeve. 'Mommy, are we there yet?' he said timidly. 'Nearly sweetie, we are really close' Rachel replied placing her chin onto the little boys head and pressing a gentle kiss through his thick brown hair. Rachel had slept for the first hour of the flight, Kurt had almost expected it as he knew she didn't sleep at all the night before. He was tired aswell but he never could sleep on airplanes.
The plane touched down in Dayton around 2pm and Rachel carried a sleeping Charlie down the steep steps to the edge of the runway and then set her down to go inside. 'Are we here?' Charlie said sleepily. 'Yes honey, we're here. Let's go get our bags'. The four walked into the airport and were welcomed by a couple of reporters, but it was nothing Rachel and the airport staff couldn't handle. Whilst Kurt collected the baggage, Rachel took her booking slip for the hired car and headed to obtain the keys. When she returned all the bags had come round and they made their way towards the exit. Rachel fitted the kids into the back seat and got to grips with the gear system in the car whilst Kurt uploaded the cases in the back. When all was packed and ready, they began what Rachel felt was the longest one hour car journey of her life. She slipped in the CD that her Dads had made and her and Kurt sang along to all the big ballads. Belting out 'Don't cry for me Argentina' whilst Rachel cringed as Kurt reminded her about the time she admitted that she fantasised about her own funeral. The pair laughed at each other and Chris and Charlie laughed at them. Silence only broke over the car as they passed the big blue 'WELCOME TO LIMA' sign. Both Kurt and Rachel drew in a breath as if they felt that all the oxygen on earth was going to disappear. They passed the Lima Bean, the coffee shop they used to hang out in. They both caught each other stealing a glance at the big concert hall that Sectionals was held in. They drove by the Lima Memorial Hospital were Rachel thought Quinn would probably be. Rachel wasn't even concentrating on where she was going, she was just driving to wherever her hands steered her too. Luckily her hands were taking her to the Hummel's the house she drove to many times before, to meet Finn or to pick up Kurt. She still knew the roads like the back of her hand.
Kurt noticed the sign posts directing towards William McKinley High School and sighed, the next thing he knew Rachel had pulled up outside a house one down from his parents. 'I'd help you with your bags' Rachel said apologetically, 'but I don't want anyone to see me yet' Rachel smiled sweetly at Kurt. 'No, don't worry Rachel, I will only take this one in for now anyway. I won't need the other one yet and I can get it off you tomorrow maybe' Kurt smiled as he replied to Rachel and she nodded gratefully. 'Please don't let it slip Hummel, I don't want him to know yet' Rachel raised her gaze towards where Finn's room used to be. She thought of all the times that they almost did it and smiled. To be perfectly honest, Rachel didn't have any bad memories of being in Finn's house. It felt like a second home and it was difficult to restrain herself from jumping out of the car and lifting the spare key from under the plant pot and sneaking upstairs like she had done so many times before. ''I won't, don't worry' Kurt said sincerely. Rachel went to drive off as the kids said goodbye to their uncle Kurt. They wanted her to roll the back window down so they could wave out as he walked up the drive and just as she was about to press the button she noticed a tall figure close the front door of the Hummel residence. Recognising the silhouette instantly Rachel hit full speed, driving off into the town. It was only then had it hit her, where she was, who she was going to see and what she was going to do.
